


Departure from Grimdark

by Draconoxis



Series: Departure from Grimdark [1]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-21
Updated: 2014-01-21
Packaged: 2018-01-09 12:43:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1146137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Draconoxis/pseuds/Draconoxis





	Departure from Grimdark

 

Rose returned to her curled up state, her head still pounding and her memory a haze. She let out a stifled moan, aware that one of her friends might hear her and come to see what was wrong. It's not that she didn't want them to help, but more that she didn't want them to see her like this. The corner she sat in was dark, hidden away under a flight of stairs and quite secluded. She often came here to read, or sometimes to knit. It was like a haven to her, as only Kanaya knew of it. Places that the others didn't know about were very rare on the hunk of space rock that she had lived on for the past year and so were valuable, at least for her.

Rose felt a brooding, damp sensation pass over her. A feeling much like when you're trapped far below the surface of the sea, looking up to see nothing but black. A feeling of dread, of true darkness. Rose was too familiar with what this feeling meant. A wave of nausea followed next, causing her to let out another cry, this time without effort to remain unheard. She felt her mouth salivate and matter start to form at the base of her throat and braced for what she knew would come next.

Tentacles and ichor oozed from Roses mouth. Her body shook with displeasure as she ejected the alien matter from within her. Tears streamed down her cheeks, splashing onto the concrete ground as liquids as black as tar continued to pour out of her. A taste of the darkest corners of the furthest ring filled her mouth and burned her eyes. All of this a side effect of the deal she had inadvertently made with the Old Gods back on LOLAR. John had warned her about dabbling in black magic, but she had chosen to continue, driven by insane curiosity as she was.

Minutes had passed before the matter had begun to slow down and eventually stop. Weakened, Rose fell from her hands and knees onto the cold ground, quaking and sobbing from despair. Between her sobs, Rose heard familiar footsteps coming from above the stairs she lay under.

Kanaya's voice called out her name, one of the few sounds that still made her smile. She let out a laboured moan in reply, and she knew Kanaya would know where to look. She just hoped that she wasn't too much of a sore sight. The footsteps grew closer, until she heard a concerned sigh and knew that Kanaya had discovered her predicament.

“Darling Rose, What Will I Do With You?” whispered Kanaya, as she placed a hand on Rose's shoulder. Rose looked up at her and struggled to smile in response. “I'll Get A Towel And Clean You Up, Okay?” Kanaya continued, before getting up to leave.

“Kanaya,” Rose croaked. Kanaya turned to listen, waiting patiently for her to speak again. “Don't tell anyone... Please. I don't want them to worry.”

“Of Course.” Kanaya answered. She quickly kissed her partner's forehead before ducking beyond the stairs and out into the hallway.

A few moments passed before Rose could summon the strength to sit up. She propped herself against the wall and let out a heavy sigh. Her head still hurt, and she felt cold and empty. She remembered reading countless books that were stored around the asteroid after her first experience with the side effects of going grimdark. Regret suddenly filled her heart and made her eyes water again. What if her friends found out one day that she had never truly gotten better? Would they be upset? Hurt that she had hidden this dark secret from them? Or maybe just worried for her well being. She couldn't bare the thought of it, and the guilt of knowing that Kanaya must be ridden with grief, every day fearing for the worst to happen to her matesprit, burdened Rose even more.

“Rose?” Kanaya called as she appeared from around the stairs. “Are you feeling any better?” She passed Rose a wet towel, which she applied to her forehead while Kanaya started cleaning up the unidentifiable mess on the floor.

“I'm so sorry Kan...” Rose said, a guilty sadness clear in her voice. “At the time it seemed like no one would have cared enough anyway.” Rose paused to think of how else to explain her actions. “I just feel so bad for putting you through this, you know?” She continued.

“Rose Sweet, It's Not Your Fault.” Kanaya stopped scrubbing the floor and looked up at her matesprit. “I'm Here For You, For When You Need Someone To Look After You. This Is Just One Of Those Times.” She took Rose's hand before continuing, “And No Matter What, That Isn't Going To Change.”

Rose tried to search for the right words to say, before simply responding with “Thank you,” and squeezing Kanaya's hand. She watched as Kanaya returned to work, before shutting her eyes to rest. Episodes like these usually tired her out. 

 

Rose awoke to find her lover's arm draped across her shoulders, keeping her close. Warmth radiated from Kanaya's torso, where she had placed Rose's sleeping frame. Rose looked up at her partner and found that she too was asleep, Rose's eyes drifting from Kanaya's face, the same face she had memorised every detail of, back to the ground where she remembered being curled over a few hours before. Her tongue was swolen and she felt rather hot, so Rose carefully crawled out from under Kan's arms, quickly planted a kiss on her lips, and then left for the bar.

The lounge was the central hub of the asteroid's facility. Here was were most of the confusing corridors with numerous changes in elevation led, and coincidentally was also where mostly everyone passed the time. It was currently rather empty, and Rose only saw Dave reading aloud to himself, with a disembodied voice spewing profanities back. Rose made her way around the many couches and chairs that the group had located around the facility, and towards the bar, where the alcohol was kept. Although the many residents of Skaia had little use for soporifics, there still seemed to be plenty around, luckily for her. Rose had discovered a particular fondness for the bitter tasting liquids, as they helped her pass the time and forget her worries involving her connections with the Old Gods.

"Oh hey Rose," Dave put down his book and switched off his crab communicator, suggesting he had finished reading to his distant companion. He held up the book's cover to Rose in explanation. "I was reading one of those crumby romance novels to Karkat. The ones that get really detailed, just 'cause he hates them. You know what its like to wind him up like that."

Rose reached for a glass and the nearest bottle that still contained anything drinkable in it. "You enjoy it alot don't you?" Rose jested. "Where is everyone anyway? They aren't all asleep are they?" Having poured herself a glass, she gingerly took a sip, before downing the whole cup and pouring herself another.

"Not sure actually. They all took their seperate ways a little while ago. I know Karkat is in his room though. You look a little pale." Dave paused, studying her face closely. "You haven't been crying have you?"

"Crying? No, of course not." Rose took another drink, to buy herself a little time. "I just.. Ate something that didn't agree with me, you know? Kanaya's cooking isn't that great." Rose winked. She took the bottle and the glass before starting off back towards the hallway she entered from. "Say hi to Terezi for me okay?"

Dave sighed, disappointed that his new company didn't stay longer. "Sure."


End file.
